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UNEP/GRID Arendal Marine Programme Releases November Newsletter

November 2010: The UN Environment Programme (UNEP)/GRID-Arendal Marine Programme has released the November 2010 edition of its newsletter, including an update on the UNEP Shelf Programme and its participation in the First Meeting of the Liaison Committee of the six West African States.

According to the newsletter, as a contribution to the implementation of the Framework Agreement on Sub-Regional Cooperation, and the Agreement on Technical and Financial Cooperation between the six West African coastal states and Norway, on the outer limits of the continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles, the UNEP Shelf Programme, represented by UNEP/GRID-Arendal, was invited to participate in the First meeting of the Liaison Committee of the six West African coastal States (Cape Verde, the Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Mauritania, and Senegal).

The agreement between the West African states and Norway is aimed at enabling the West African states to exercise their sovereign rights to natural resources on their continental shelves, according to Norway's comments in a recent GA debate.

Convened in Praia, Cape Verde, from 29 November-1 December 2010, the meeting allowed for a dialogue among the six West African coastal states and the Norwegian cooperation partners on the modalities of future work. [The Newsletter] [Summary of GA debate on Law of the Sea]

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